Oil tank fire protection



Jan. 3, 1933. J. A. HARTE OIL TANK FIRE PRCTECTION Filed March 17, 3.928 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR 4 ATTORZY Jan. 3, 1933. A, R E 1,893,026

OIL TANK FIRE PROTECTION Filed March 17, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented 3, 1933 FFIE JAMES A. HARTE, OF U'IICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGJEEOR T0 AMERICAN LA FRANCE AND FOAMITE CORPORATIQN, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK OIL TANK FIRE PRCTECTION Application filed. March 17, 1928.

T he invention relates to method and means f l t l i lth like iol applying foam to 01 an salt e A for extinguishing fire. The ob ect is to apply the foam over the surface of burning oil or other liquid with the least agitation of the latter, thereby reducin the time and the amount of foam needed to eXtinguish the fire. The invention embraces the principle and detail herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically a portion of an oil tank with the invention applied,

Figure 2 is a plan thereof,

Figure 3 an alternate form,

Figure & a plan of the latter, and

Figure 5 a perspective view of another form of the invention.

The source of foam may consistof any suitable foam discharging device whether fixed or portable, and is represented in the drawing as a standard mixing chamber type consisting ofa trunk 1, having a downwardly directed foam discharge spout-2 applied over the edge of the oil tank 3. Foam-making materials are introduced by pipe or pipes, or hose, into the base of the trunk and the foam is delivered through the spout into the tank.

According to this invention, the foam falls upon a platform 4 which floats on the oil and is made hollow or light for this purpose. It is best made of hollow sheet metal as indicated although any construction or mate-rial will suliice which is light enough to float on the oil or other liquid. It is provided with one or more guide-eyes such as 5, by which it is confined to a vertical metal cable 6 l and 2) so that as it rises and falls with changing oil levels it will always be kept in a fixed position relative to the circumference of the tank and directly beneath or in the line of discharge from the foam source 2.

Its purpose is to receive the impact of the falling foam and prevent it from penetrating, by its momentum, into the mass of the oil, which efiect, if permitted, not only breaks down some of the foam but also splashes the oil and prevents quick eXtinguishment, this being specially the case when the oil level is low and foam drop correspondingly long.

Serial No. 262,483.

The foam falling on the platform slips off the edges of the latter and thence progresses horizontally and smoothly over the oil sur face, producing an efficient blanket with the least amount of foam and without splashing or agitating the burning oil. The cable 6 can be rigged up in various ways. One convenient method consists in fastening a weight 7 to one end and lowering the latter into the tank. The weight serves to keep the cable taut and vertical and if allowed to rest, partly on the tank floor as shown, serves also to keep it always in a fixed position in the tank and close to the side wall thereof,the other end of tie cable being made fast to a point on the outside of the tank in any suit able manner. In the event that the tank roof, or a portion of it, has been blown off by the explosion of the confined gases at the time of ignition, as frequently happens, a rig such as this can be applied while the lire is in progress, since all that is necessary is to introduce the weight and platform, the latter being threaded on the cable, over the edge of the tank, and this can be done by the use of a portable derrick or the like, after which the foam discharge spout is brought upv and placed over the then floating platform to discharge upon it.

The platform may be curved on one side to conform to the concave curvature of the tank wall and also provided with antifriction devices such as the shoes 8 by which it may ride on the wall surface and with little friction as the oil level rises and falls. It is thus certain always to be horizontal, which is desirable. lhe platform is essentially a floating impact member and deflector for the foam and so long as it serves this purpose its specific detail and form may be as preferred oras considered most convenient.

In Fig. 3, the construction will be recognized as the same as in Fig. 1 but'in this case there are two cables 9, permanently fixed to the interior of the tank by brackets 10, the platform being guided by both of them by means of guide eyes 11. The foam source in this case is placed directly over or between the cables and is permanently attached to the tank as customary in tank systems.

The form of the invention illustrated in Fig. is also of the permanent installation type and adapted to be erected either during the construction of the tank, before the roof is applied, or when the tank is emptied for cleaning. The brackets in this case are shown as supporting a single cable 12 passing through the guide eyes 11 and fastened at thebottom by a turnbuckle 13, or otherwise. The ,members 14 constitute a platform on which the float rests when in its lowest position.

The float construction illustrated in this figure is capable of application to other installations of the general character described and'consists of a number of sections so climensioned as to be capable of insertion into the tank through a relatively small opening, as through the tank man-hole which, in some instances, may be no more than eighteen inches in diameter. YVithin the tank the sections are bolted together, or otherwise suitably united and so provide a float'deflector large enough to withstand the impact of the foam without submerging, even though the foam is discharged from a considerable height.

It will also be noted that the guide eyes 11.

I are carried by plates 15' which are attached to the lower part of the float so that the eyes will always be immersed in the oil and amply lubricated.

As a protection against injury to floats of hollow construction as a result of'excessive internal pressure due to the heat of the fire.

I have provided venting means which althoughcapable of embodiment in numerous forms isshown by way of illustration in Fig. 5 as a return bend l6 upstanding from each ofthe float sections. If desired, the outer end of the vent may be closed by a fusible plug, of lead or the like, which will blow out if the pressure rises above a safe limit.

The following is claimed.

l. Foam-applying means for oil tanks, comprising a fixed foam spout having its outlet fixed in an upper position in the tank above the highest oil level therein, a buoyant foam deflector floating on the oil and adapted to receive foam dropping from the spout and direct it horizontallyonto the oil surface, and guide means for said deflector adapted to retain .it'in position beneath the spout under chan ing oil level.

2. cam-applying means for oil tanks, comprising a substantially vertical guide device located within the tank adjacent the side wall thereof, a floating foam-deflector guided by said device to rise and fall with changing oil level, and a fixed foam source having its foam outlet located at the top of the side wall and adapted to drop foam upon said deflector;

3. Foam-applying means for oil tanks, comprising a foam spout fixed in an upper position in the tank having its outlet above the highest oil level therein, a cable disposed in the tank adjacent the wall thereof and below said spout, and a floating foam-deflector guided by said cable to rise and fall with reference to oil level.

l. F oam-applying means of the kind described, including a hollow foam-deflector adapted to float on the oil and having a vent means to prevent undue pressure in the'deflector, said means being normally closed by a fusible material adapted to open said vent means upon an increase of temperature to a predetermined amount.

5. The method of applying foam to oil tanks, which consists in lowering an anchor into the oil, securing a foam-deflector to said anchor, and delivering foam onto said defoam systems without emptying the tank which comprises mounting a foam delivery outlet above the 011 space of the tank, lowering an anchor and attached line into the oil,

securing a floating foam-deflector to said anchor by movably attaching it to said line so that it may rise and fall with changing oil level, and establishing the foam delivery outlet and the foam deflector in such relative location that the foam-deflector is below the said soput under changingfoam delivery outlet for interception and deflection of foam thereby.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification. V

i JAMES A. HARTE. 

